Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar has summoned rebel lawmakers on July 23
Karnataka's ruling coalition must not delay a trust vote anymore, the assembly Speaker said on Monday, amid allegations that the Congress-Janata Dal Secular alliance was buying time with lengthy speeches after losing its majority.
Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar also summoned rebel lawmakers who have endangered the survival of the government tomorrow following the coalition's request that they be disqualified.
No trust vote was held last week despite two deadlines on Friday set by Governor Vajubhai Vala.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said he was "not trying to cling onto power". "My only intention of seeking time for debate on trust vote is to let the entire country know how the BJP, which talks of morality, is trying to subvert the very principles of democracy as well as constitution," he said in a statement.
The ruling coalition had 118 members in the 224-member assembly. If the resignations of the 15 legislators who approached the Supreme Court are accepted, the government will be left with 101 members. With the support of the two independents, the opposition BJP has 107 legislators, which is two more than the majority mark of 105.
Here are the Highlights on the crisis faced by Karnataka coalition.
Karnataka Session adjourned
The House has been adjourned till 10am tomorrow. Karnataka trust vote deadline set for 6pm tomorrow.
BJP's BS Yeddyurappa: You gave a commitment. Let's wait for a few hours and finish the vote
BJP lawmaker to Speaker Ramesh Kumar:
"You said you will give a ruling by today. You have one hour. Make a decision now. Either have the vote or not. How long can we keep speaking? They will go on speaking. We are the ones without the food. We cannot stay any longer."
"We are hungry, let's continue tomorrow": Ruling JDS-Congress lawmakers
We want to go home, there are old people here, people who are diabetic. We need to eat. Please resume tomorrow. We are ready to come in by 9 am tomorrow. Let us go home.
BS Yeddyurappa is also diabetic. We should be considerate.
Woman lawmaker to Deputy Speaker:
Please take into account that all of us in the house have not eaten. There has not been any arrangements for food. There are a lot of women. Look at it from our point of view.
Congress troubleshooter DKShivakumar's message to the rebel lawmakers
"We don't necessarily want to delay the vote. The Governor has said that two lawmakers withdrew support and went to Supreme Court and that Court is taking it up tomorrow. The speech is still on. We have requested that we be given more time."
"On whip issue, I am trying to convince my friends that according to the constitution, they cannot becomes members if they are disqualified. then why have they gone there. I am still in touch with them. I am still persuading them. Whatever BJP wants and whatever these ministers want, the rebels will suffer in the end."
"100% the constitution provides for this. they will be disqualified. No one can save them. If they don't come even tomorrow and put their views across. No one can save them. They have been misguided, I am trying to guide them"
Kumaraswamy asks Speaker for more time
"If you guys trusted yourselves, all this would not have happened. I said that the vote will happen today, Siddaramaiah and me had agreed to that. But the Supreme Court rulings shows that we have to speak to the Speaker."
"There has been a fake letter and this has been circulating on social media. The sign was also forged."
"Clearly, there are several things that need to be discussed. I request you to give us time," he asks the Speaker.
Speaker says: "Please keep the respect of my word, of your words and let the vote happen."
"Fake" letter of resignation:
Copies of a letter claiming that HD Kumaraswamy resigned as the chief minister were circulated in the House by Mr Kumaraswamy.
According to local media reports, HD Kumaraswamy brought multiple copies of the "fake" letter and distributed it to people in the House.
The purported letter, addressed to the Governor, had the chief minister's signature stating that he wishes to resign for personal reasons.
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy shows a fake letter of his resignation, that has been circulating, in the House.
Ready to sit here till midnight: Yeddyurappa
As Congress-JD(S) lawmakers raise slogans, BJP leader Yeddyurappa says: "We have been patient. We are here to listen to everyone speak. The leaders Siddaramaiah and Kumaraswamy had said that the voting will happen today. I am here till even 12 am. We will be sitting here. We will listen to everyone. We expect a vote at the end of it."
Karnataka Assembly convenes
Karnataka Assembly has convened. Coalition leaders are protesting in the House.
Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar holds a meeting with BJP leaders -- Sunil Kumar, Basavaraj Bommai, CT Ravi -- and JDS leaders Sa Ra Mahesh, HD Revanna, Bandeppa Kashempur -- in his chamber at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru, reports news agency ANI.
15 speakers yet to make statements in the Karnataka Assembly: Report
According to local media, there are close to 15 speakers left to address the Karnataka Assembly including Congress' Siddaramaiah. Chief Minister Kumaraswamy will then respond to the statements made in the house. The vote can be held only after that. The house is yet to resume after it was briefly adjourned for 10 minutes.
House adjourned for 10 minutes after uproar
House adjourned for 10 minutes after ruckus over the fact that they were asked to keep speech short.
JDS-Congress lawmakers raise slogans demanding full debate without time restrictions
BJP lawmakers raise slogans demanding HD Kumaraswamy's resignation.
Home Minister MB Patil has called an official meeting with Commissioner of Police, to discuss about zero traffic reportedly given to rebel lawmakers when they came back to Bengaluru to meet the Speaker, according to news agency ANI. JD(S) lawmaker, AT Ramaswamy had raised this matter in the Assembly today.
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says: "I am not in any hurry to adjourn and go. Let us have some discipline."
JD(S) lawmaker AT Ramaswamy walks out of the Vidhana Soudha following state home minister MB Patil's statement on zero traffic reportedly being given to rebel legislators. Mr Ramaswamy had said, "If Home Minister is lying blatantly in front of the House, how can I stay here?"
Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy asks Speaker for more time for the vote during the meeting. The Speaker has asked him to do it today.
Let's wrap up speeches soon: Speaker tells lawmakers
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar says: "I have received WhatsApp messages from the leader of the opposition that I should finish the trust vote today. I want to stick to my word. Let's wrap up the speeches soon."
Took a year to join Congress: Siddaramaiah
Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah says: "I did not leave JDS, JDS expelled me. Please speak facts (on claims of Siddaramaiah-JDS rift). I did not join Congress immediately. I took a year to make the decision. Was expelled in 2005, joined Congress in 2006. This is totally different from what is happening today. Don't compare this with what is happening right now."
"This is not the same as showing people money, luring them, giving them the hopes of a ministerial birth - this is against democracy. This is against basic principles of the constitution."
Each member will speak only for 10 minutes: Speaker
Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, as House resumes, says: "Each member will speak only for 10 minutes. Don't make me say this again and again."
Speaker will take a call on confidence motion: Siddaramaiah
Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah says: "If the rebel lawmakers come back then they will be with us. Rebels have told that they are not living comfortably, they could have stayed back here itself. The Speaker will take a call on confidence motion. We have already told that we will prove the confidence in Vidhana Soudha. Case is pending in Supreme Court. We have also filed the petition, most probably tomorrow Supreme Court will hear our plea."
Karnataka Assembly adjourned till 3:30pm- The state assembly was adjourned for lunch till 3.30 pm
BJP to Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy- The BJP said Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy himself moved the confidence motion but the trust process was still prolonging. It said, "If at all you have faith and respect for the Constitution and the people of the state, you resign and go home."
If an opinion is created of time being wasted, it won't be right: Speaker- "We are in public life. People are watching. In the name of discussion, if an opinion is created that we are wasting time, it won't be right on my part," said Speaker.
BJP in a hurry to come to power: DK Shivakumar- "Supreme Court has very clearly said that they can't fix the timing. It's obvious that it is up to the Speaker and Speaker has to take a call. I think a lot issues have been going on. (For) BJP it is better to wait... It shows that there can't be any deadline for this. It is better to just have a full discussion. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was there, the floor test had taken some 10 days. So, let us not be in a hurry. BJP (is in) hurry for power... They are using the Governor of Karnataka," Congress leader DK Shivakumar told ANI.
- Talking about his meeting with the JD(S) leaders on Sunday, DK Shivakumar said, "JD(S) came to me, they wanted to speak to me. They also have their stand. They want to see that this secular government is saved. They don't mind even sharing the responsibility with the Congress party."
"Issuing whip is your right. Following them is left to the MLAs. If any complaint comes to me, I will follow rules and take a decision," the Speaker told Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah who had raised a point of order on the issue of whip in the light of the Supreme Court order last week.
People not attending the session haven't given notice: Speaker- The Speaker said, "If anyone thought that they were being 'influenced', they could meet him. I am open to any kind of help and assistance."
- He said that people are free to attend the House on their free will.
- He said, "The people who have not attended the assembly session had to give me a notice stating their reason of absence. They have not done that. People voted to power aren't attending the assembly session. We are all here today, we won't be tomorrow. The worry is about the precedent that we are setting."
Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar issues notice to rebel lawmakers- Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar issues notice to rebel lawmakers, summons them at 11 am tomorrow after petition by ruling coalition to disqualify them.
BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa arrive at Vidhana Soudha- Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa along with BJP legislators arrived at Vidhana Soudha.
- The legislators are being brought in by bus from the various resorts they were being kept at.
- Security has been beefed up around Vidhana Soudha and Raj Bhavan road.
- Two Independent legislators who have withdrawn support to the Congress-JDS government urged the Supreme Court to order a floor test. The court may take up their petition tomorrow.
Legislators do yoga at hotel- BJP lawmakers who are staying at a hotel in Bengaluru started their morning with a feel-good group yoga session before they headed out for the assembly.
- In visuals, the lawmakers are seen stretching their arms up in the air on the wide, green lawns of Ramada Hotel. In another yoga posture, they are seen putting their hands on their ears.
Rebel legislators rule out attending Karnataka assembly session- Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy appealed the rebel legislators to return and "expose" the BJP during the debate in the House, but they ruled out attending the session.
- Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday denied he was getting into a hospital to avoid the floor test in the state Assembly on Monday.
- "The news of Kumaraswamy being unwell and getting admitted in a city hospital is fake and based on rumours, which is being spread by those trying to topple the coalition government," said the Chief Minister's office in a statement.